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What Eliot Porter is saying here is to look beyond the obvious when viewing the natural world and considering subject matter and composition. I might be so bold to add to the end of his quote “….and equal beauty.” Herein lies the foundation for the second part of this essay.
It is almost a Pavlov’s dog response photographers have when they enter an area in autumn. There is just so much stimuli in the form of color, most fill their mind’s eye with photo images of expansive forests in red, yellow and orange dress or bodies of water with more trees reflecting colorful mirror like images onto them as well as painting them in hues of red and gold. I think you catch my drift so let’s move on.
It is always a challenge to the nature photographer to look beyond the obvious when they are out but never more so than in the fall. The season itself, promotes a sense of slowing down as the natural community is winding down and basically preparing for its winter hibernation. Therefore, you have an excellent opportunity at this time of year to do the same…slow down. Once the early morning shoot is over and the warming earth’s breeze makes things sway and flutter, commit yourself to getting up close and personal with as I like to put it, the center from which all good things come; Mother Earth. There are millions of interactions going on within every acre of ground. All of them have an impact on the life cycle of their specific community and many of these interactions or relationships offer the photographer an opportunity to render them in an artistic manner.
Ah, but you may say there are a million examples of close up shots of fall leaves. Yes that is true. Well maybe a million is a bit of a push but that’s okay let us say that is true. With millions of these interactions (with and without leaves in them) taking place and each of them in a state of constant change, think of what the possibilities are within a one-mile hike! By slowing down and seeing (not just looking at) what is happening within the scope of your view, you will find subject matter that will move you to make compositions that are unique to your experience and the impact that experience had on you. Are you thinking yet that I’m getting a little deep here? You should because the foundation for the intimate perspective is just that; intimate and personal.
With so much going on out there coupled with your newfound way of seeing, I do not want to influence or limit you with subject suggestions. Quite honestly, depending on where you are, what the weather conditions are like and at what point of the fall season you are present, the possibilities are endless and you shouldn’t have any problem establishing a starting point for your shoot. I will offer you a few technical tips. Depth of field becomes more challenging and critical the closer you get to the subject you are photographing. Generally speaking, try to set your aperture to bring your primary subject matter into sharp focus (I’m talking edge to edge). Smaller f-stops tend to become the rule for best results. Beyond that you can decide what kind of effect you want to convey by isolating that subject or bringing more detail to the entire composition. Do not be afraid to experiment and shoot compositions at varying f-stops.
While shooting in shaded areas be aware that clear skies can add an undesirable blue cast to the image. That can be corrected by using a warming filter. I would recommend either an 81A or 81B. The higher you go alphabetically the stronger the warming effect. They also come combined with a polarizer so you can warm and reduce glare at the same time. Just be careful as it is possible to over filter and the end result can be unnatural and undesirable. If you shoot with a film camera and it has the mirror lockup feature, use it after composing your image. Doing this in conjunction with a shutter release and tripod will help in eliminating vibration and keep your images sharp. Remember, moisture saturates color so take advantage of it whenever possible. Lastly, always be respectful of the space you are in when shooting. Do the very best you can to not damage the area you are walking and working in. Remove any trash you generate including film wrappers, boxes and tissue. I always try to take more garbage out than I bring in. It only makes sense that if you intend to honor nature by capturing its beauty that you show the proper respect to it.
Intimate landscape/nature photography in the fall can be as impactful as the grand shots we see much of the time. Whether it be a single tree adorned in blazing color, a small section of moving water colored by the tees above or a group of mushrooms on the forest floor you can portray fall in ways that will inform, enlighten and excite. Continue to look for and capture those beautiful, grand images that are representative of autumn’s magnitude but don’t forgot the intricate and relational detail that exists within that magnitude. Have a great autumn shoot this year, may your experiences be meaningful and remember...
"...each moment of the year has its own beauty...it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
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